 |
 |
10 November 2002
CONTENTS
· UNMIK
chief Michael Steiner visits Mitrovica (Koha Ditore/Bota Sot)
· SRSG Steiner
writes to Rugova regarding Dole's appointment (Koha Ditore)
· Steiner to
meet with German Chancellor Schroeder (Koha Ditore)
· Humolli:
S+M preamble is in accordance with Resolution 1244 (Koha Ditore)
· Surroi: The
new dynamic of developments (Koha Ditore)
· Palokaj:
The weight of PM Rexhepi's statement in Brussels (Koha Ditore)
· Maliqi: Neither
Serbia nor Kosovo have done their homework (Koha Ditore)
· FRY has agreed
to return Kosovo's debts (Koha Ditore)
· Meksi: Free
market with Kosovo - a matter of time (Koha Ditore)
UNMIK chief Michael Steiner visits
Mitrovica (Koha Ditore/Bota Sot)
Koha Ditore and Bota Sot carry reports from SRSG Michael Steiner's visit
to Mitrovica yesterday.
Under a subheader UNMIK chief silent before journalists during visit to Mitrovica, Koha Ditore reports that after meeting with Mitrovica MA Chairman Faruk Spahija, SRSG Steiner didn't answer to questions from journalists saying that 'sometimes it is better to keep silent than talk'.
Spahija reportedly said that despite the boycotting of local elections by Serbs in northern Mitrovica, the UNMIK chief said he was committed to the implementation of Resolution 1244 and the implementation of law throughout Kosovo. Spahija also expressed hope that parallel structures administrated by Belgrade, which function in northern Mitrovica for three years now, would soon be dissolved.
Spahija also claimed that Steiner's seven-point plan has some changes now, because the main condition - Serb participation in the elections - hasn't been fulfilled "However, this doesn't mean that there will be delays in the integration of Mitrovica, surely there will be increased processes and the process of uniting the town will be accelerated," he elaborated.
Koha Ditore reports that Steiner took a walk in the southern part of town, and then crossed to the northern part where the presence of Albanian journalists was not allowed.
The Belgrade-based Beta news agency reported that during his visit to northern Mitrovica, SRSG Steiner said that the donors meeting in Brussels was a good opportunity to show the progress that has been achieved in Kosovo and also to point out what remains to be done.
"My impression was that the representatives of over 30 countries who had the chance to listen to the presentations of UNMIK, Kosovo Prime Minister, Kosovo's provisional institutions as well as those of the commissioner for returns Milorad Todorovic, were quite impressed," Steiner reportedly told Serb journalists in a sweets shop in northern Mitrovica. "What we have won from the donors is a firmer willingness, meaning that they will continue to support the returns of communities which are in the minority."
Steiner also said that UNMIK Department for Returns Director Peggy Hicks said at the donors meeting that there are concrete plans for returns, but that they require huge funds. "If the international community wants to make returns possible, then it should invest huge funds because this costs a lot," said Steiner, adding that Hicks had asked during the donors meeting 37 million euros for returns in 2003.
SRSG Steiner writes to Rugova
regarding Dole's appointment (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore claims that Kosovo chief administrator Michael Steiner has
sent a letter to President Ibrahim Rugova, and that the main reason of
the letter was that Rugova appointed US congressman Bob Dole as Kosovo's
Ambassador to the US.
Koha Ditore reports that while the content of the letter remains a mystery, it was unofficially confirmed that it had been sent to Rugova. However, no official in the presidency was willing to confirm that.
Koha Ditore also claims that UNMIK officials refused to comment on this issue, but added that Steiner was in charge of foreign relations.
Steiner to meet with German Chancellor
Schroeder (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore reports that SRSG Michael Steiner will stay in Berlin as of
Monday. Following an invitation from the renowned German University of
Humbold in Berlin, Steiner will hold a lecture on the topic 'Three years
of international administration in Kosovo'. The daily newspaper also reports
that on Tuesday afternoon Steiner will meet with German Chancellor Gerhard
Schröder.
Humolli: S+M preamble is in accordance
with Resolution 1244 (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries a report from the meeting between the leader of the
National Movement for the Liberation of Kosovo (LKÇK), Fatmir Humolli,
and the leaders of the branches of the party.
Humolli reportedly said that the aim of the meeting was to analyze the circumstances created after the election campaign and to determine the further steps that his political entity would make in the future.
"The international community is working in opposition with the UN Charter for the right of nations for self-decision-making as well as in opposition with our national interests," Humolli was quoted as saying.
Commenting on the preamble of the Constitutional Charter of Serbia and Montenegro, Humolli claimed that the preamble was in accordance with Resolution 1244, 'because this Resolution recognizes Yugoslavia's sovereignty.'
Surroi: The new dynamic of developments
(Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries an op-ed piece by publisher Veton Surroi, who writes
that on the eve of 2003, the year of the Middle East and the establishment
of an international administration in Iraq, 'we are approaching a stage
where our region, the Balkans, takes on a different speed of solving its
knots.'
"And we started noticing this during last week with the debate regarding the Serb preamble which mentions Kosovo as a comprising part, and the debate at the Kosovo Assembly which showed an aggravating interethnic level of the debate."
"Now it is difficult to expect that things in Kosovo will move with the pace they have had until now. In the interethnic field, Albanians and Serbs cannot go back to the situation they were in several weeks ago, by hiding the obvious problems of life in enclaves. And this also cannot be done by the international administration, which announced the project for decentralization which now is in the hands of the Council of Europe."
"And these are only illustrations for upcoming things, among which in the next year will be the reviewing of the entire concept of governance in Kosovo toward its own citizens and toward the international community."
"At such interesting times, small boats cling on to big ships. Institutionally or not, as of this week, Kosovo is represented in Washington by the office of Bob Dole, former senator and one of the most well known personalities in present-day Washington. Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova decided to undertake such a step and appoint a person with such extraordinary influence as the representative of Kosovar interests in Washington. Another sign of the new dynamics."
Palokaj: The weight of PM Rexhepi's
statement in Brussels (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries a commentary by its correspondent Augustin Palokaj
who comments on PM Bajram Rexhepi's statement for independence in Brussels
and the way it was perceived in Kosovo.
Palokaj claims that more threatening to the internationals were Rexhepi's words that in case the international community recognizes the preamble, then the Kosovars would be forced to radicalize their strategies.
"Independence, when it comes, will surely not come as a result of calls to recognize independence but as a result of the accomplished work, as a result of proof that Kosovo can function as a normal state. For achieving the independence of Kosovo, Bajram Rexhepi, Ali Sadriu and other representatives of the Kosovo Government did a much bigger job in Brussels, than Rexhepi's words 'we will declare independence'," added Palokaj.
Maliqi: Neither Serbia nor Kosovo
have done their homework (Koha Ditore)
"If someone from Kosovo participates in the work of the Serb-Montenegrin
Constitutional Commission then it would be some kind of a prejudgment
of Kosovo's status. It is illusionary to think that someone from Kosovo
could participate in such negotiations. This issue should be solved later.
The Security Council and the Super Powers will solve the status of Kosovo
when the conditions are right," political analyst Shkelzen Maliqi
told Beta news agency. "Neither Serbia nor Kosovo have done their
homework, whereas the prejudgment which is being imposed now is taking
on negotiating positions for the future."
FRY has agreed to pay back Kosovo's
debts (Koha Ditore)
Quoting information released by Belgrade-based Beta news agency, Koha
Ditore reports that Christian Portmann, vice president of the World Bank
for southeastern Europe, said in Belgrade on Thursday that the Federal
Republic of Yugoslavia has agreed to pay back debts located in Kosovo.
"The decision to pay back a part of the loan taken for Kosovo from
the World Bank was made when Yugoslavia was re-included in this institution.
At that time, it [FRY] took over this obligation," added Portmann.
Meksi: Free market with Kosovo
- a matter of time (Koha Ditore)
Koha Ditore carries a commentary by Albanian Minister of Economy Ermelinda
Meksi, who claims that free market between Albania and Kosovo is a matter
of time, and also adds that 'it has already been understood that the region
as a whole will be much more attractive than each of the countries.'
Kosovo Press Headlines
Koha Ditore
Front Page
· Steiner: Sometimes it is better to keep silent than to talk
· Palokaj: The weight of PM Rexhepi's statement in Brussels
· Surroi: The new dynamic of developments
· Humolli: S+M preamble is in accordance with Resolution 1244
· Who guards Kosovar leaders?
Other headlines
· SRSG Steiner writes to Rugova regarding Dole's appointment (3)
· FRY has agreed to return Kosovo's debts (4)
· No heating if obligations are not fulfilled (4)
· Work suspended due to mining in Glogovc/Glogovac quarry (4)
· Gjakova to be governed by LDK - PSDHK coalition (5)
· PDK - AAK coalition will govern in Kaçanik (5)
· An example for squatters of social property (6)
· When children are used to not eating (6)
· Meksi: Free market with Kosovo - a matter of time (10)
· Chief administrator Steiner to meet with Chancellor Schröder
(10)
· Albanian-Americans pleased with Dole's appointment (10)
· Maliqi: Neither Serbia nor Kosovo have done their homework (10)
Bota Sot
Front Page
· Steiner committed to implement his plan for unification of Mitrovica
· US will not give up from assistance for reconstruction of Kosovo
· President Rugova congratulated for Dole's appointment
· No reduction of KFOR Austrian troops
· Bota Sot is continuously attacked by leftist pamphlets
· Between law and anarchy
Other headlines
· Will FYROM undergo reforms? (2)
· Four hours off, two hours on (3)
· LDK - PSDHK coalition in Gjakova reconfirmed (3)
· Youth irritated by presence of a person wearing paramilitary
uniform (3)
· Coalition with PSHDK and Vatan is stable (4)
· EU: Albanian Government should know how to negotiate (5)
· Who is threatening with civil war? (7)